Review of Challenging Destiny
Number 14, June 2002

This review is by Roelof Goudriaan, from Albedo One (Issue 26, October 2002). It appears here with permission.

Challenging Destiny 14, 06/2002.
David Switzer, RR #6 St. Marys, Ontario Canada N4X 1C8. Website: http://home.golden.net/~CSP/
126 pp A5. 4-issue sub CN$24/ US$22 overseas.

All stories in Challenging Destiny 14 are solid, though the issue does not contain any single story that stands out. “Not Poppy Nor Mandragora” by K.G. McAbee is an excellent story, surprising given the title: a monster slayer story with solid characterization, role reversal and down-to-earth attitudes. “The Trial of Edgar Allan Poe” by Hugh Cook is a time travel story made enjoyable by its sly references and playfulness, despite using an old idea and heavily belaboured puns. Helen Rykes’ “Deciphering Vermillion” is a good first contact story, its intriguing setting marred by dwelling too long on unnecessary detail and an abundance of stock situations. James Viscosi’s “Perfidy” is an amusing Fantasy tale about a theatrical troupe requested to play in front of the King’s troops. If only the main characters weren’t all so contemporary North American... Finally, “Bobby’s First ABC’s” is a surprising piece of absurd fiction which could have been published in any literary slipstream magazine, and which gives CD the diversity a quality fiction magazine needs.

Last modified: December 30, 2002

Copyright © 2002 by Roelof Goudriaan